What should Ukraine do while Putin is stuck in Syria?

Ukrainian Foreign Ministry shall immediately convene a conference in Kyiv with the participation of Romania and Moldova, and a specially invited Russian Federation delegation on the fate of unrecognized territory of Transnistria.

Nov. 29 is 'parliamentary elections' day in the "Transnistria Moldovan republic," recognized by the Kremlin only. As always, it will be controlled by Russian secret services, which make up the results in "protocols." The situation has already been difficult in Transnistria - Putin has no money to continue financing all of his wars and conflicts.

In the 21st century Ukraine is tolerating a lawlessness area at its border, where uncontrolled Russian military bases are located, which allow thriving of gangsterism and illegal trade, supported by Russian secret services. About 2,000 Russian military are based there.

This is a direct threat to security of the Odesa region and Moldova, which Ukraine should eliminate immediately, without waiting for the situation in Crimea and the Donbas to change. Our south flank should be secured, and Odesa should be protected. Transnistria is the place where Russian agents who provoked bloody events of May 2014 in Odesa were located. As a member of European security system, Ukraine is obliged to do all it takes to secure that borders with Ukraine are controlled by legal Moldovan authorities.

Russian General Vladimir Antyufeyev - "Transnistria Moldovan republic's minister of state security" - has been redeployed to the Donbas and is now the power broker behind the "Donetsk people's republic."

Moreover, Transnistria is a black hole for the Ukrainian economy. Transnistria is the area from which Ukraine receives illegal cigarettes and moonshine via "greenery." The losses for the Ukrainian economy are huge.

In 2006, according to official estimates by the Ukrainian authorities, the volume of illegal goods from Transnistria was over $250 million a year. Ukraine is losing thousands of workplaces and hundreds of million UAH in taxes, because by keeping Transnistria we are actually keeping an open channel for supplies to the Russian security services, which are in fact running the unrecognized territory. Due to [president] Yushchenko's regime debility, an attempt to block Transnistria and return official Moldovan authorities there in 2006 failed. Now we cannot lose there during wartime.

If Ukraine has been recognizing Transnistria until now, this means it encourages the illegal traffic and corruption at its border. This should not be tolerated.

This could be easily done right now! Look at the map: Transnistria is surrounded by Moldova and Ukraine from all directions. This means all communications depend completely on the goodwill of the two countries.

Before the international conference, Ukraine should completely halt any communication with the illegal territory. All supplies of fuel, gas, electricity; any movements of cargos and ALL kinds of transport; ANY movements of citizens on the ground and in the air should be allowed only with official passports issued by Chisinau and only through Moldovan-controlled territories.

We will lose nothing in terms of economy, for the same goods will go to Transnistria, but via Moldovan territory now.

Ukrainian blockade of the unrecognized territory will allow Chisinau to promptly start activities on Transnistria reintegration with the support of Romania. Moldovan border guards and customs officers should guard the border with Ukraine. All administrative and economic issues should be solved under Moldovan legislation exclusively.

Romania, a NATO member country, will definitely support the plan. And we will engage an important ally in our fight with the Russian Federation.

A new problem in Transnistria will become another hole in Putin's foreign policy, causing huge expenses on its solution. As long as Putin is imposing a war of attrition on Ukraine at the front - let's impose a war of attrition on the Russian Federation at the diplomatic front.

The more stress points are created against the Russian interests, the faster the Putin's monarchy will collapse.

The beginning of the process of Transnistria liberation from the Russian invaders will be the first active offensive operation of the Ukrainian foreign policy. This will be a foreign initiative which is very important and desperately needed for the Ukraine's security, which should be implemented as soon as possible, while Russia is stuck in the Syria war.

All materials published on this website that cite Interfax-Ukraine news agency as a source should not be further copied and/or redistributed in any other form without written consent by Interfax-Ukraine news agency.